Okay, okay, I know that I need another social network like a hole in the head, but….I finally caved in and joined Raverly. I have been directed to the site so many times when I was looking for crochet patterns that I finally joined. That’s how it started. Sure, I’m just joining for the patterns. But, of course, soon I found myself surfing around, wondering what was over there besides patterns. Next, I figured I’d fill out my page a little; what harm could that do? I’m just adding a little craft information about myself, right? Then I started uploading some of the projects I’ve completed. Well, you get the picture. It does have the potential of sucking me into it’s social networking grip! Luckily, I don’t find this site super-intuitive, at least for me, so I’m still slowing feeling my way around. I’ll keep you posted on my progress, and of course, if anyone over there needs a friend…
After posting Margot’s fabulous YuDu video over here, I went googling around and found the YuDu web page: whatdoyudu.com. You can find lots of information about this and related products over there including tutorials, videos (though not as cool has Margot’s), FAQs, and more.
From what I can tell, this is not for the faint of heart crafter. It’s not necessarily difficult, but I would also not expect instant gratification either. In fact, I remember doing actual silk screening in a high school art class, and it was really a very similar processes, though agreed the YuDu is still easier than what we did. It also in not an inexpensive investment of your mulla. However, check Joann’s and Michael’s for coupons. I have seen this product at my local craft store, so I know you could probably score one for a discount.
Talk about a practical fiber project, you can’t get any more practical than the Reversible Swiffer Sock project over at Craftstylish. Like many people, we recently put in some new wood-type flooring into one room of our home, and this has meant I’ve had to deal with dirt as well as dust, since you don’t have to worry about carpet or vinyl getting dusty usually. With my new dark engineered-wood floor, though, I have to sweep up the dirt, and even in areas that there is no dirt, I notice a little dust now and then. I have not purchased a swiffer because (1) I couldn’t find them anywhere around here and then (2) I recently heard that the chemical static sheets to you are supposed to use can be harmful to pet. This makes me think I may need to try to get one of these and just forgo the static sheets.
If you have lots of fiber scraps in your stash but haven’t yet figured out how to use them, then take a look at this interesting project from the folks at Embellishments: Fabric and Found Object Weaving.
The project is posted on-line and includes step-by-step instructions for creating an art piece similar to the one pictured above. This would be not only a great way to use up scraps while creating something beautiful to look at, but I could see how you could use this to help integrate a theme or color palette into a specific decor.
For those who live in the mid-west, you may want to check into attending YarnCon this October in Chicago. Along with lots of yarn to purchase and fellow yarn crafters to meet, there will be workshops offered:
Flower Pins from Recycled Felted Wool with Denise Handwerker
Sew a beautiful flower pin from recycled felted wool! Using three layers of luscious felt, construct a pin approximately 2-4″ in size. By the end of the class you will have a perfect accessory for your handmade sweaters, purses, hats or jackets. This class is suitable for anyone that can safely use sharp scissors and thread a needle. Kits will be available for purchase ($10-$20), and needle and thread will be supplied. Please bring your own scissors.
Textile-Based Artist Trading Cards with Lindsay Obermeyer
Unlock a creative block. These miniature works of art are a fantastic means for experimenting. Like traditional trading cards we will work in a 2 ½” x 3 1/2″ format. We will use paper and cloth as our base to explore new and familiar techniques including collage, hand embroidery, appliqué, and stamping. Bring fabric scraps, photographs, bits of ribbon – anything that suits your whim through which a needle may pass. Expect to complete at least on card during the workshop.
Introduction to Spinning with Vera Videnovich
Vera Videnovich will demonstrate how to spin on a spinning wheel, and will be available to answer questions for the beginner and more advanced spinner. Vera will also be at her booth with her spinning wheel throughout the show.
Morning Kids’ Knitting Class with Sister Arts Studio
Beginning knitting class and book reading of Angora: I’m Not Fluff, I’m Always Enough by local author Gary Scholar.
Ages 6 and up
$25.00 per person, including Knitting Kit ($15.00 without kit)
Afternoon Kids’ Knitting Class with Sister Arts Studio
Beginning knitting class and book reading of Angora: I’m Not Fluff I’m Always Enough by local author Gary Scholar.
Ages 6 and up
$25.00 per person, including Knitting Kit ($15.00 without kit)
Learn to knit with the Windy City Knitting Guild
Ongoing
Learn how to knit, or get help while adding to Polly E. Cotton’s dress. Free.
Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
Craftside is in full bloom with an inside look into the soon to be released: Collaborative Art Journals and Shared Visions in Mixed Media by L. K. Ludwig along with a full tutorial on stitching a bird cage on a card, a how-to for embroidering barbed wire, cleaning and cutting Acrylic and how to paint a checkerboard floor.
Crafty Princess Diaries
Become a professional crocheter with the help of an organization designed for those who are interested in make yarn craft a j-o-b.
CraftyPod
Sister Diane reviews Betz White’s new book, Sewing Green.
Cross Stitch at About.com
See how Kitchinstitchin used an old window and a piece of crazy quilt for an unusual framed Cross Stitch project.
Naughty Secretary Club
Jen shows you how to wear your stuffed animal collection as a bracelet. Plus enter to win a free copy of her book The Naughty Secretary Club!
Stefanie Girard’s Sweater Surgery
You’ll have a “ball” stitching yarn scraps into beads with a little help from the new book: Strands by Jacqueline Myers-Cho.
The Crochet Dude
Drew recaps an amazing Southern Caribbean Crochet Cruise!
The Impatient Crafter
Check out the new YuDu home screen printing machine in this brand spanking new The Impatient Crafter video hosted by Madge. While you’re there, follow the link to her interview with fellow crafty blogger Sister Diane of CraftyPod on personal branding!
Vickie Howell’s Pop Goes Crochet
Vickie’s latest book, Pop Goes Crochet, hits stores in 2 weeks! Get a sneak peek of 5 accessory projects now though, including designs by The Breeder’s Kelley Deal, The Stitch Diva and The Crochet Dude. Give ’em a gander and enter to win a free, signed copy!
About Family Crafts
Discover many creative projects all made using paper plates.
Blisstree Arts
Miriam Schaer makes books from materials that you would never think to use! Come see how she pushes the boundaries of bookmaking.
Cathie Filian
Cathie Filian is calling all Colorado crafters! Stop by the Colorado Women’s expo April 25th & 26th. She will be doing presentaions on both days – the topic is…Living Creatively by Re-Crafting and Recycling.
I’ve seen these in Michael’s as well as on-line, so I have been very curious about them. Thanks to Margot Potter, you can get a wonderful demo via her latest crafting video.
I mentioned earlier this month that I was about to embark on an experiment when it comes to crocheting a cat tubbie. The idea was that since the first tubbie sort of deflated over time and is now more like a pancake than a tub, I would work with doubled yarn and thus create more structure to the finished product. Alas, this does seem to be a good concept, but as I got into the project further, I realized that I had, again, made the bottom part too large for my tiny little gray cat. Yes, I could have unraveled a bunch of it, but I had already done that due to some brilliant (or admittedly not so brilliant) idea that I was going to wing it for awhile rather than follow either of the two instructions I had for this.
Ultimately, I opted to finish it off early, and as you can see, it is in use. He doesn’t seem to mind to much that it’s too big and really more of an upside down berret than a tub. However, I’m not deterred and cat tubbie 3.0 is in the planning stages. I just purchased two purple pound-sized skeins of yarn and will next attempt to make it smaller (pay attention this time Princess!) and make it double thick as far as density. Hopefully, it will work this time and get as much use as the two previous models, which basically have one of my two cats in them just about 24/7.
Crafting as a career is something many of us dream of doing. Who wouldn’t love to get paid for something you love to do? And, that’s true with any career in any industry. However, few people realize that you can turn your love of crafting into a career. The trick is knowing how to do so. One tip is to find organizations that can help you achieve your goal, and I discovered one recently just for crocheters call the Crochet Guild of America. It costs $35 a year for an individual membership, and according to its web site, these are the benefits provided to members:
* Crochet! magazine which is published six time a year.
* Chain Link CGOA’s newsletter published six times a year.
* “CGOA eNews” the national guild’s newsletter sent to your email account.
* Access to CGOA Membership Message Board on Yahoogroups.
* National retail discounts with AnniesAttic.com, Interweave Crochet, TheLeisureBoutique.com, Mary Maxim and ShopCaron.com.
* Discounts to annual and regional conferences.
* Member to member discounts.
* Networking with other crocheters and individuals in the industry from around the world.
* Opportunity to receive mentoring from crochet professionals already established in the industry.
* Corporate Members receive a link on CGOA’s Web site.
* Corporate Members receive advertising discounts through Crochet! magazine.
* Corporate Members are listed in every issue of Crochet! magazine.
* DRG offers Corporate Sponsors and Corporate members bonus advertising space or discounts equal to or greater than their annual membership dues in Crochet! magazine.
* Corporate Sponsors who already advertise with DRG will receive bonus $1,000 in space added to their existing contracts.
* Corporate Sponsors who do not already advertise with DRG will receive 2 for 1 space up to $1,000 (i.e. $2,000 in space for $1,000).
* Corporate Members receive $125 discount per ad per issue. For a discount for all 6 issues ($750 in discounts) a six-time contract must be signed.
* Contact Publisher John Boggs at 260-589-4000 ext 354 or Sale Manager Diane Kocal @ 317-578-0469.
Like many non-profit groups these days, animal shelters are getting hit hard with lower than usual donations. One place I’ve heard about recently which is in need of some help is a no-kill dog (and sometimes cat) shelter run by Bernie Berlin in Tennessee called “A Place to Bark.” The shelter is in the middle of its annual fund raiser, called “10 to Life.” The idea is that if one person just gave ten bucks, and then asked ten friends to give ten bucks, and so on, these small donations would add up to the shelter’s goal of $100,000.
So, I have sent in my $10 (and a little more) and thus I am asking my readers to do the same and pass on the idea via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. Along with monetary donations, which can be sent in via a PayPal icon on the shelter’s blog, you’ll also find a list of needed items such as towels, blankets, toys, and so on. Yes, blankets my fellow crafters! Do you sew, knit, or crochet? How about using your scraps to zip up a few little doggie blankets to send to A Place to Bark?
If you have followed Bernie on Twitter or Facebook, then you know that this woman (who donates all her time and a good chunk of her own money) is incredibly devoted to this cause. So after passing on your ten buck donation, make sure to pass on this information to your friends and family. You can read the details of the fund raiser, see pictures and videos of the shelter and its residents, plus see the stats of the number of lives it has saved at A Place to Bark’s weblog.
